IRVING, Texas. – Following the best regular season campaign in school history, the Cyclones were rewarded when the Big 12 honors came rolling in on Monday. Iowa State placed a league-high three on the All-Big 12 First Team for the first time in school history with Ashley Joens, Lexi Donarski and Emily Ryan earning nods from the Big 12 coaches. Donarski was also awarded Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first Cyclone ever to earn the honor.

Donarski is a force on defense. Her defensive abilities might be Iowa State’s best-kept secret nationally, but to those in the Big 12 it is no secret the best lock-down defender is Donarski. She held opponents she guarded to a mere 9.3 points and 30 percent shooting, as she was often tasked with defending the opposition’s top performer. Donarski also becomes just the third Cyclone to earn a spot on the Big 12’s All-Defensive Team and the first since Chelsea Poppens in 2011.

In addition to her defensive honors, the La Crosse, Wisconsin native, was also awarded a spot on the All-Big 12 First Team for the first time in her career. The sophomore is currently second on the team in scoring, averaging 14.3 points per game, while netting 38.9 percent from the floor. Her 76 3-pointers also ranks third in the Big 12 and in the top-20 nationally.

Joens earned unanimous All-Big 12 First Team honors for the third time in her Iowa State career, joining Bridget Carleton and Stacy Frese as the only other Cyclones to do so. The Iowa City, Iowa native, leads Iowa State with 20.3 points and 9.2 rebounds per game, while averaging a career best 2.2 assists per game and connecting on a career-best 77 treys. Joens is also shooting at a 41.2 percent clip, the fifth-best mark in the league.   Joens has been a staple for the Cyclones, earning All-America consideration and being named to the Cheryl Miller Award Top 10 yet again.

After leading the Big 12 and ranking in the top-five nationally in assists per game (7.1), Emily Ryan garnered First Team honors for the first time in her career. Ryan has been widely recognized as one of the best floor generals, with 213 dimes on the year, checking in at fourth and counting in the ISU record books. Ryan dished 20 or more dimes to six different Cyclones on the season and recorded five or more assists 20 times this season. A native of Claflin, Kansas, Ryan also averaged 12.6 points per game and has a team-high 53 steals on the season. In league games, Ryan’s stats are even better, averaging 14.6 points and 7.3 dimes per contest.

Iowa State finished the regular season with a school record­ 25 regular-season wins, while also amassing 14 Big 12 wins for the first time. The Cyclones also swept seven Big 12 opponents and won a school record seven Big 12 road games. Iowa State enters the Big 12 Championship as the No. 2 seed with a 25-5 overall record and a 14-4 Big 12 record.

2021-22 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Awards
Coach of the Year: Brandon Schneider, Kansas (Seventh season at Kansas)
Player of the Year: NaLyssa Smith, Baylor, F, 6-4, Sr., Converse, Texas*
Defensive Player of the Year: Lexi Donarski, Iowa State, G, 6-0, So. La Cross, Wis.
Newcomer of the Year: Jordan Lewis, Baylor, G, 5-7, Gr., Windmere, Fla.
Freshman of the Year: Rori Harmon, Texas, G, 5-6, Fr., Houston, Texas
Sixth Player Award: Skylar Vann, Oklahoma, G/F, 5-11, So., Edmond, Okla.

All-Big 12 First Team (honors listed alphabetical by school)

* Unanimous Selection

All-Big 12 Second Team

All-Big 12 Honorable Mention
Ja’Mee Asberry (Baylor), Queen Egbo (Baylor), Zakiyah Franklin (Kansas), Taiyanna Jackson (Kansas), Serena Sundell (Kansas State), Lauren Heard (TCU), Lauren Ebo (Texas), Aliyah Matharu (Texas), K.K. Deans (West Virginia), Kari Niblack (West Virginia), Madisen Smith (West Virginia).

* Unanimous First Team Selection (coaches cannot vote for own players, unanimous denotes voted first team by other nine coaches)

Big 12 All-Defensive Team

Big 12 All-Freshman Team

* Unanimous Selection (coaches cannot vote for own players, unanimous denotes selected for team on other nine ballots)